Automatic lubrication systems are known that include mechanical dosing and pumping components. These components may be configured to provide a fixed dose of lubricant (grease or oil or other suitable lubricant, referred to hereinafter generally as “grease”) at predetermined intervals. The intervals and doses are conventionally set by manually adjusting each of the individual dosing devices. A lubrication system that provides a greater degree of control and more automated control over lubricant dosing is disclosed in U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2013/0015019 A1 for an “Advanced Lubrication System,” which disclosure is hereby incorporated by reference.
Conventional lubrication systems are generally configured to provide lubricant based on the needs of the bearing or component being lubricated. These systems have not heretofore taken into account the changing lubricating properties of the grease over is useful life or the fact that the lubricating properties of the grease may change as the operating conditions of the device being lubricated change. Conventional lubrication systems therefore may provide too much grease under some conditions and may under-lubricate under other conditions when the breakdown or degradation rate of the grease is not adequately accounted for.
It would therefore be desirable to provide an automated lubrication system that controls lubrication based on one or more parameters that affect the degradation rate of the lubricant.